Gum vending machine



May 5, 1953 E. R. sABlN ET Al.

GUM VENDING MACHINE lli llLllnnll Filed Aug. 6, 1951 "il um "Hllnll Patented May 5, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,637,610 v GUM VENDING MACHINE Eugene R. Sabin, Kansas City, Mo., Boley A; Andrews, Kansas City, Kans., and Loran Allan Shontz, J r1, Kansas City, Mo., assignors to The" Vendo Company, Kansas City, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application August s, 1951, serial No; 240,482

It is the most important object of the present invention to provide in a vending machine, a laterally shiftable ejector disposed always in supporting relationship to one stack of merchandise to be vended and adapted to move the lowermost article of another stack of merchandise as the ejector is shifted to a position beneath the second stack whereby the two stacks are used alternately in supplying the merchandise to the purchasing public.

Another object hereof is to provide novel mechanical movement for actuating the aforesaid ejector and including an oscillatory member together with means for operating the member as an actuator arm operably connected thereto is reciprocated.

Another object hereof is to provide mechanical movement for vending machines and other uses to which the same may be adapted that includes the oscillatory member just above mentioned,

Whiohfmember isprovided with a cam slot having spacedeapart terminals alternately engageable by actuating means therefor, as a single arm is swung tow-ard and away from such slotted member.

`il further object hereof is to provide in mechanical movement as justabove set forth, a substantiallyfsemi-circular slot, together with a link having a roller riding within the slot, the con nection and form of the link, aswell as the contour of the slot, being such as to cause the roller to engage the oscillatory member rst atone side of itsswi'nging` movement and thereupon on the opposite side thereof as the link is reciprocated and caused to swing.

More minor objects including details of ccnstruction willr be made clear or become apparent as the following specication progn-.esas` reisrence being had to the accompanying drawing, wherein;

Figure 1 is V"a :side elevational viewA of a gum.

vending ymachinemade according to the present" Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view 'taken on line III-III of Fig. l; and

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken onV ir` regula-r line IiP-IV of Fig'. 1,- but showing the cam plate at the opposite end 'of its path 'of travel.

While the vending machine hereof has been adapted particularly for the vending of packages of gum It, it will be understood after a full un-v derstanding of the operation that various other articles of merchandise may be vended through use of the novel arrangement about to be set forth. Furthermore, it is to be appreciated thatthe mechanical movement herein set forth may be placed in use for purposes other than recipro eating an ejector I2 in a vending machine.

The packages of Agum Ill are disposed in sideV by-side stacks I4 and It, and held in such position through any suitable structure that includes a pair of spaced-apart vertical panels or walls I8 and 2li, each having a plurality of irl-turned, vertical flanges 22, setting off a pair of side-by'- side, stack-receiving compartments as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing. i

A U-shaped support member having a bottom or bight portion 2li is provided with a pair of up# standing legs 26 and 28 secured directly tor the outermost faces of the panels I8 and '2U respec` tively, with the lowermost edges of the latter, as well as the lowermost edges of allofthe inturned anges 22, spaced above the' bottom wall 2t.

The rearmost leg 28 mayv be secured in any suitable manner not shown, to a supporti@ shown fragmentarily in Figs. 1 and 3. One of the stacks I4 or I6 of the articles It, always rests upon the uppermost surface of bottom wall 2t, whereas the' other stack (stack IG of Figs. l and 3), rests directly upon the ejector I2. v l-lector i2 consists oi an elongated bar having essentially the same dimensions as the packages It and is disposed upon the uppermost surface of wall 2i-l for transverse movement therealong between the legs 2t and 28 andbeneath the lowermost edges of panels 2t through the medium of an elongated slot 33.

formed in the latter, cam 3,6 supportinga. collar #lll` freely mounted on vthe pinfflr and` extending' upwardly` into the slot 32; A pin-42 for pivotally mountingthe cam plate depends y-fror'n :the wall- 24 between slot 32 and leg 26 and a small spacer 44 on the pin 42 is interposed between the lowermost face of wall 24 and the uppermost face of cam 36. f

An L-shaped bracket having one leg 45 thereof secured to the support 30 and the other leg 46 thereof underlying the cam 36, extends forwardly beyond the leg 26, such extended portion of the leg 46 having a. longitudinal slot 46 formed therein.

The leg 26 has a pair of oppositely extending ears 50, each of which in turn receives a small L-shaped bracket 52 for journaling a stub shaft 54 that in turn receives a member in the nature of an L-shaped crank 56 for swinging movement on a substantially horizontal axis. Actuating means or crank 56 is held biased in the position illustrated in Fig. l by means of a spring 58 coiled about the shaft 54. One end of the actuating member or crank 56 extends through the slot 48 for free sliding movement therein and through an opening 60 formed in a shiftable and swingable element in the nature of an elongated link 62 adjacent one end of thelatter, link 62 being loosely attached to the crank 56 above the leg 46. A roller 64 is mounted upon the uppermost face of link 62 adjacent the opposite end thereof.

The cam 36 is provided with a substantially semi-circular slot broadly designated by the numeral 66 and disposed on that side of the pivot pin 42 opposite to the pivot pin 34. Slot 66 has a bight 68 and a pair of wing portions I0 and I2 that terminate at points 'I4 and 'I6 respectively in diametrically opposed relationship with respect to the pivot pin 42. Additionally, the cam 36 is provided with a pair of spaced-apart, semicircular notches 'I8 and 80 within the bight 66. The link` 62 directly underlies the cam 36 and the part or roller 64 extends upwardly into the slot 66.

Assuming various parts of the vending machine to be in the position illustrated in Figs. l to 3 inclusive of the drawing. it is seen that the stack I 6 of articles lIl is supported by the ejector bar I2 and that the stack I4 of articles IU, is supported by the upper surface of wall 24.

Spring 58 is operated to position the crank 56 as shown in Fig. l, withdrawing the link 62 and positioning the roller 64 thereof within the notch 86. As shown in Fig. 3 by dotted lines, the cam plate 36 is disposed at one end of its path of travel with pin 34 adjacent that end of slot 32 that underlies the stack I6 of articles Ill. If the crank 56 is swung against the action of spring 58 in a direction to move the same toward the innermost end of slot 48, link 62 will be actuated to shift the roller 64 into the wing 'I2 until roller 64 engages the member 36 at terminus point 16. Continued movement of the crank 56 toward the innermost end of slot 48 will cause the cam plate 36 to swing on pivot point 42 from the position shown by Fig. 3 to the position illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawing. Such movement o the plate 36 shifts the pin 34 to that end of the slot 32 disposed beneath the stack I4 of the articles I0 carrying therewith the elongated ejector bar I2 for sliding movement along the bottom wall 24 and transversely thereof. Ejector bar I2 moves from beneath the stack I6 of articles I8 against the lowermost article II) of stack I4 thereof, moving such lowermost article from the wall 24 to a suitable vending station not herein shown.

When the ejector bar I2 clears the stack of merchandise I6. such stack I6 gravitates to a position where the lowermost package I6 thereof rests upon the wall 24 and alongsidetheejector I2.

4 Such lowermost article I0 of the stack I 6 is thereupon ready for vending during the next cycle ot operation of the vending machine.

The crank 56 is released, spring 58 operates to return the same to the position shown in Fig. l, carrying therewith the link 62. Roller 64 will move within the wing portion 12, away from the terminus point I6 and come to rest within the notch 18.

During the next cycle of operation of the machine, actuation of the crank 56 will actuate the link 62 moving roller 64 into the wing 10 until roller 64 engages terminus point 14. Continued movement of crank 56 will swing the plate 36 in the opposite direction from the position shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing to the position illustrated by Fig. 3.

Ejector bar I2 will move from beneath stack I4 to a position supporting stack I6 and the roller 64 will ultimately come to rest within the notch 86 as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing.

It is seen from the foregoing that the swinging movement of crank 56 on the axis 54, is transmitted into swinging movement or oscillatory action on the part oi cam plate 36 and into reciprocable movement on the part of ejector I2 along a path of travel that is substantially parallel with the axis of swinging movem-ent of crank 56. Through such construction, articles I0 are vended from stacks I4 and I6 alternately and therefore, the tendency for the merchandise I0 to become stale if the same is of such nature as requires rather immediate use, is eliminated.

It is appreciated further that any number of the assemblies herein set forth may be ganged together in a single machine adapting the same for vending a large number of iiavors or a various number of differing types of merchandise. Furthermore, the crank 56 may be joined with various types of mechanisms including coin control structure with ease and facility, but such mechanisms and structures form no part of the present invention-therefore the same have not herein been set forth.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. Structure for transferring swingable movement into oscillatory movement including a support; a pivot pin mounted on the support; a member swingable along a path of travel disposed radially relative to said pivot pin; a cam mounted on the pivot pin for oscillatory movement and provided with a substantially semicircular slot between the pivot pin and the member, said slot having a pair of wings terminating at diametrically opposed points on the cam relative to the pivot pin; a shifta'ole link loosely secured at one end thereof to the member for shifting thereby and for free swinging movement relative to the member on an axis parallel with the axis of said pivot pin; and a roller on the opposite end of the link within the slot for oscillating the cam through engagement therewith as the link swings to move the roller first into one wing and thence into the other wing upon swinging of the member to shift the link.

2. Structure for transferring swingable movement into oscillatory movement including a support; a pivot pin mounted on the support; a. member swingable along a path of travel disposed radially relative to said pivot pin; a cam mounted on the pivot pin for oscillatory movement and provided with a substantially semicircular slot between the pivot pin and the member, said slot having a lpair of `wings terminating at diametrically opposed points on the cam relative to the pivot pin; a shiftable link loosely secured at one end thereof to the member for shifting thereby and for free swinging movement relative to the member on an axis parallel with the axis of said pivot pin; and a roller on the opposite end of the link within the slot for oscillating the cam through engagement therewith as the link swings to move the roller first into one wing and thence into the other wing upon swinging of the member to shift the link, there being a pair of spaced notches formed in the cam at the bight of the slot for alternate reception of the roller each time the member is swung to that end of its path of travel remote from the cam.

3. In a vending machine, a shiftable ejector; a cam; structure pivotally mounting said cam for oscillatory movement; apparatus on one side of said structure, pivotally securing said cam to the ejector, whereby the ejector is shifted as the cam is oscillated, said cam having a slot disposed on the opposite side of said structure, said slot having a pair of wing portions terminating at diametrically opposed points on the cam relative to said structure; an actuating member at the opposite side of said structure; means mounting said member for movement toward and away from said cam; a movable element operably interconnecting the actuating member and the cam; means holding the movable element in operating relationship to the actuating member and the cam, said movable element being swingable relative to the actuating member and having a part within said slot; f

and means forming a portion of said slot for guiding said part alternately into the Wings to oscillate the cam and thereby swing the element relative to said member as the member is swung to move the element.

4. In a vending machine, a shiftable ejector; a cam; structure pivotally mounting said cam for oscillatory movement; apparatus on one side of said structure pivotally securing said cam to the ejector for shifting the latter as the cam is oscillated, there being a slot in the cam on the opposite side of said structure having wing portions terminating at diametrically opposed points on the cam relative to the structure; an element shiftable along one path of travel and swingable along a second path of travel, said element having a part within the slot; actuating means operably connected with the element for shifting the same, said element being swingable relative to said actuating means; and means forming a portion of said slot for guiding saidv Lil) as the device is moved, there being a slot in the device having a pair of opposed wing portions; an element shiftable along one path of travel and swingable along a second path of travel, said element having a part within the slot; actuating means operably connected with the element for shifting the same, said element being swingable relative to said actuating means; and means forming a portion of said slot for guiding said part to swing the element and direct said part alternately into said wings as the element is shifted, whereby to move the device.

6. In a vending machine, a shiftable ejector; a movable device; means operably connecting said device with the ejector for shifting the latter as the device is moved, there being a slot in the device having a pair of opposed wing portions; an element shiftable along one path of travel and swingable along a second path of travel, said element having a part within the slot; actuating means operably connected with the element for shifting the same, said element being swingable relative to said actuating means; and means forming -a portion of said slot for guiding said part t0 swing the element and direct said part alternately into said wings as the element is shifted, whereby to move the device, said device having a pair of notches therein for alternately receiving said part when the element is shifted to one end of its path of travel.

7. In a vending machine, a shiitable ejector; a movable device; means operably connecting said device with the ejector for shifting the latter as the device is moved, there being a slot in the device having la pair of opposed wing portions; an element shiftable along one path of travel and swingable along a second path of travel, said element having a part within the slot; and actuating means operably connected with the element for shifting the same, said element being swingable relative to said actuating means, each of said wings being substantially semi-elliptical and diverging as one end thereof is approached, there being a slot portion interconnecting the wings at the opposite ends thereof, whereby said part is guided to swing the element and direct said part alternately into the wings as the element is shifted, whereby to move the device.

EUGENE R. SABIN. BOLEY A. ANDREWS. LORAN ALLAN SHONTZ, JR.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Du Grenier Apr. 16, 1940 

